


Fools In Love

by kittinoir



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, happy ending!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21729973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittinoir/pseuds/kittinoir
Summary: Ladybug and Chat Noir finally reveal their secret identities to each other, and after a little convincing, Marinette and Adrien finally end up together. Or is it Marichat. Ladrien? Big fluff, plot driven, post season 3 finale.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Comments: 95
Kudos: 223





	1. Spots Off

“Cataclysm!”  
Ladybug didn’t balk as Chat Noir’s arm slid around her shoulder and he pulled her close to his side. She knelt with him as he pressed his palm to the ground beneath them. Abruptly, the stone work at the base of the glass pyramid at the louvre began to crumble. Within seconds, the two heroes disappeared into the museum, the stone falling around them as Hawkmoth’s latest victim threw another attack in their direction. It sailed over their heads, but Ladybug couldn’t help a yelp of surprise as they hurtled through the air.

They landed in the thankfully empty museum, but the relief was short-lived as debris rained down around them.

“Look out!” Ladybug shoved Chat Noir out of the way as a particularly large chunk headed straight for them. Ladybug dove after him, but even her reflexes weren’t fast enough to save her. The debris crashed to the ground, pinning her by the right leg to the floor. It was true that the miraculous made them nearly invincible, but there were some wounds even they couldn’t absorb. Ladybug swallowed a cry of pain as she hit the floor. 

“W-what?” She twisted to see what had caught her and paled. Without the miraculous, the rock would have shattered every bone in her leg. With it, she would suffer some bruises and strained muscles. 

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir sprinted across the empty room to where she lay, trapped. He dropped to his knees as he slid to a stop beside her, assessing the damage. “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have cataclysmed the ground. What a stupid idea.”

“It’s fine,” Ladybug said with forced ease. “It was our only option. Your puns are more painful than this.” But he barely noticed her attempt at a joke. He was still staring at the rock, as though he could will it away. It was the beeping of her earring that finally made him blink. They realized it at the same time.

“Ladybug…you’re going to transform back.”  
He didn’t say it the way she thought he would have. He didn’t seem happy or excited, just…sad. Maybe disappointed. But she didn’t have time to dwell on it as cold horror set in. Maybe once she would have accepted it, even toyed with the idea of letting him in on her secret. To have a friend who knew, someone to help share the burden, who truly understood the weight of it.

But now, when she knew what would happen if Adrien ever knew her true identity, if it ever got back to him… The destruction of Paris. Her own death. Fear seized her heart.

“Don’t look.” She pushed herself as far away from him as the rock would allow. Panic was setting in. “No peeking.”

But he didn’t close his eyes. “Ladybug…this rock will crush a normal leg. I can’t help you with my eyes closed.”

“Then help me now!” But even as she said it, she knew there wouldn’t be enough time to lift the slab of concrete before it happened. Still, he nodded and moved to the rock. He paused with his back to her and looked over his shoulder at her. That same sadness radiated from him.

“I just… I want you to know I never wanted to know your secret like this. I’d hoped one day that…But I’d hoped it would be your choice. I’m sorry.”  
Ladybug was at a loss for words as he crouched before the rock beside her leg. She felt rather than saw his muscles begin to strain as he began to lift the rock. Her earrings gave one final beep, and just like that, her transformation dissolved as Tikki reappeared. 

Marinette couldn’t help a whimper of pain as her normal body began to take on damage without the miraculous. Beside her, Tikki watched in horror.

“Hang on, m’lady,” Chat Noir said, “We’re almost there…now!”

Marinette ripped herself away from the slab of concrete, reaching for her leg.

“M’lady?”

Through the haze of pain, Marinette realized that, despite their situation, he had managed not to see her. 

“Don’t look,” she pleaded. Maybe things didn’t have to change. Maybe she could still make it out as Ladybug. She thought she noticed a slight dip in Chat Noir’s shoulders, but he simply nodded. 

Marinette couldn’t bring herself to look at her leg. Instead, she simply tried to stand. Pain, lightning quick, lanced through her calf and knee, and just as fast as she’d tried to stand, she fell again. 

“Tikki?” Marinette turned to her kwami, but she simply shook her head. This wasn’t something the miraculous could fix. Tikki merely looked at Chat Noir and nodded. They were out of options.

“Chat Noir, I’m too injured to transform again.” Marinette hated to admit to to herself, let alone him. Her heart beat faster at the thought of her next words; the ones she had imagined dozens of times, but never like this, and sure she would never reveal. “I need you to take Tikki and finish the job. And…I need your help. I can’t walk like this.”

“Are you sure?” He was quiet, again different from what she’d been expecting. “I can try and find something in the gift shop, or from someone outside…?”

“There’s no time.” Marinette took a deep breath and settled into that quiet place in her heart, the one she’d become accustomed to since becoming Ladybug. Peace in the face of chaos. “I’m ready.”

When he turned around, his eyes were still closed. For the first time, it was like she could read him. Like part of him had wanted this for so long, but…not like this. And still another part of him resented the part that was eager to know this, to tear down this boundary. The moment hung between them, suspended, before things changed. In the space of a breath, those green eyes finally opened.


	2. Claws In

“Marinette.”

“I’m sorry I never told you bef - ” Chat Noir held up a single hand, cutting her off. A small, sad smirk quirked the corners of his lips. Like he had thought before that maybe it could be her.

“You were right, our identities were safer if they were secret.” He knelt next to her as his ring began to flash its’ final warning. “Things change.”

“Your ring - ”

“Fair is fair.” His smile grew a little wider. 

“No!” Panic made Marinette’s fingers tremble as her heart began to pound. It may already be too late. It was bad enough he knew who she was. To risk his own identity when he didn’t have to…

The ring beeped once more. There was a flash as Chat Noir’s miraculous dissolved. Marinette threw an arm over her eyes, desperate to protect them both as she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Marinette.”

“It’s not safe, Chat Noir.” She could hear the hysteria bubbling up in her voice as the awful truth she’d tried to keep from him finally came spilling out. She’d managed to conceal that hideous future from him, convincing herself she’d never abuse her powers again, wanting to spare him from the same nightmares she’d had since. An akumatized Chat Noir who knew her, who loved her, and who destroyed everything.

“I can’t know.” Marinette squeezed her eyes shut tighter until spots glittered in the blackness. “It could destroy everything. Please, don’t.”

“Marinette, look at me.”

She should have anticipated this. He’d asked her too many times to reveal this secret. She should have known he wouldn’t be able to keep his identity from her once she let her guard down. 

“Please.” Her voice was nearly a sob. “I can’t…I can’t lose you like that again. It was so…so…”

“Marinette.” She felt his arms slip around her as he pulled her closer to him, until her head was resting against his chest. He took the hand she was holding over her eyes and gently but firmly pulled it away. Still, he held her hand, rubbing small, slow circles on the back with his thumb. So gentle. She hadn’t known he could be gentle. “Do you trust me?”

“More than anyone.” It was true. He had saved her, and saved Paris with her, too many times to count. He’d always respected her wishes, and he’d never pushed her for anything.

“Look at me.” Another moment. Another breath. Marinette opened her eyes. And something inside her heart cracked.

It was the green eyes that held her attention first. She’d always assumed the miraculous had made them that way. But no. It was

“Adrien.”

“Surprised?” His grin had lost the sadness, as though he’d been expecting the worst but had stumbled into the opposite. She wished she felt the same.

“In a word.” Marinette fumbled for her earrings with fingers that had gone cold. “Take these. Do you have any food for Tikki? I forgot mine at my house this morning.”

“Just camembert,” Adrien said. He released her hand to reach into his shirt pocket, and Marinette used the opportunity to lean back. It was her worst nightmare. Adrien hadn’t spilled her secret. He’d kept it. And he’d been akumatized because of it. Now history was doomed to repeat itself. 

“It’ll do,” Tikki said. She swirled up to where Adrien held the cheese out for her.

“Hey!” Plagg drifted closer, his little brow furrowing. “I hope there’s some for me in there!”

“With you, I always bring extra,” Adrien said. “Stay with Marinette. She’ll take care of you.”

Adrien slipped the ring off his finger and the two traded. Marinette couldn’t meet his eyes agin. The metal was warm against her fingers. She slipped it on, and Plagg reappeared, diving for the cheese she’d placed on her knee. 

“Marinette?”

Marinette forced herself to tilt her face up, to take a deep breath and meet those eyes one more time. 

“Thank you…for trusting me.” Was he really blushing? “I’ll take care of Hawkmoth’s latest victim and come back for you. Then maybe I can take you home and we can talk?”

“Be careful out there.” She wouldn’t make him any promises. Not now. Not when… “Do you need help? Maybe Carapace?”

“He’s on his last legs, m’lady,” Adrien said. How had she not noticed before? “I’ll be back in no time. Plagg will keep you safe.”

Before she could move, Adrien leaned in and kissed her cheek. Electricity shot through her, like a live wire passing over her skin. And then he was gone.

“Fiiiiinallly,” Plagg moaned. Marinette glanced down to notice half the cheese Adrien had left was already gone. “You guys were driving us nuts.”

“You knew?” Marinette could barely feel her lips. 

“You know the rules,” Plagg said as he chewed. “We couldn’t tell you.”

“All that time…”

“Hardly matters now,” Plagg said, swallowing the last of the Camembert. “Now you know and you can both confess your love and live happily ever after.”

A bubble of hysterical laughter escaped from Marinette at the same time she felt something warm slide down her cheek. A tear. She was crying.

“Of course,” she giggled as more tears fell. “Of course it would be him this whole time. Of course he always loved me, too. It had to be. Of course it did.”

With that, the hysteria died and was replaced with cold, empty nothing. 

“Uhh, maybe it’s because I’m still little lagged out, but I don’t get it.” Plagg was eyeing her like she might suddenly swallow his miraculous.

“There is no happily ever after.” Her voice sounded strange to her ears. “Not for us.”

Whatever was happening with her voice, Plagg must have noticed it too. He straightened, floating closer to her face. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen the future. Our future. There’s no happiness in it. Only pain, and loss, and…” She looked at Plagg. “And destruction. Bunnix showed me. Adrien finds out who I am, and it leads to the destruction of Paris. Of everything.”

“But…” Plagg seemed at a loss for words as her words landed. “But you always find a way. Ladybug always finds a way.”

“I’m not Ladybug to him anymore.” The tears welled up again at that broken thing inside her split further, splintering through her body. “I’m Marinette.”

Tears threatened to overtake her completely. She shoved back against them, forcing them down. She would cry later, for a long, long time, but right now, she still had to get home. But before that, one final task.

It felt like hours until Adrien returned, but for all she knew it could have been minutes. But all of a sudden, there he was, striding through the hall of the Louvre, coming straight for her, the confident smile she loved so much brighter than ever. In that moment, Marinette hated that she was Ladybug, hated what it meant.

Too soon he was kneeling in front of her, trading back their miraculous.

“I think I’m starting to get the hang of this Ladybug thing,” he teased as he slid his ring back on.

“Let’s not make a habit of it.” She offered a half-hearted smile, the most she could manage.

“Black is more my style,” he said, but the charm she’d gotten used to eased into something softer, something so Adrien. “Ready to get home?”

All she could do was nod as he placed her arm over his shoulder and pulled her to her feet, drawing her close to him. Any other time she would have died to be in this position. A big part of her still was. But that just made it hurt more. 

The trip home was short and quiet in the back of Adrien’s car. They’d agreed her leg was fine, that she simply needed rest and ice. They were both conscious of Adrien’s bodyguard in the front, and for once, Marinette was grateful for his presence. Too soon, the ride was over.

“I’ll take you to the door,” Adrien offered. Marinette could only nod, silently steeling herself for what was to come next. He came around to open the door for her, once again supporting her weight as she slid off the buttery leather seats.

“I was thinking I could come back tonight,” he murmured as they walked up to her door. “Give Plagg and Tikki a little time to rest, then maybe we could talk?”

Now. Marinette disentangled herself from Adrien’s side as she turned to face him.

“Actually, I don’t think that would be a very good idea.”

Adrien blinked, for once stunned into silence, if only for a moment. “…Marinette?”

“This was a mistake, Adrien.” She’d been mentally practicing what she was going to say in the car, and for the first time, her voice didn’t waver as she spoke to the boy she loved. “I never should have revealed my identity - and neither should you. We’ll always be Ladybug and Chat Noir, but other than that, it would be safest if there was no contact between us.”

“But…Marinette…” _Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it._ “Marinette, I love - ”

“Don’t.” She couldn’t let him. Because if he did. If he said those words, she wouldn’t be able to do this. Ladybug might have been strong enough to do what had to be done, but Marinette never could be. “It’s for the best. Don’t come tonight. Forget what happened today. Forget me. Forget us.”

“I can’t.” Hardness coated Adrien’s eyes and an edge crept into his voice. “I won’t. We can’t undo what’s happened.”

“We can,” Marinette said. “And if you won’t, I will. Goodbye, Adrien.”

Now. She had to walk away now. So she turned without another word, without pressing herself to him like she wanted to, without begging him to make her unsay it like she wanted to.

“Marinette.” She heard it, plain as day. The same brokenness that she heard in her own voice. “Please.”

But she didn’t. She didn’t stop walking. Not when she closed the door, or when she passed her parents in the bakery; not when she heard the car door slam and the sound of the engine as he left; not when she made it to her room; not until she made it up to her bed.

And finally, finally, Marinette collapsed onto the pillows and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I know I promised fluff, but, much like season three, we gotta suffer to get to the good stuff. It's coming, I promise. In the mean time: ouch. I hurt myself.


	3. Second Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien share one braincell. Thankfully, Adrien is using it right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have to do notes at the beginning, because the first half of this chapter is pure agony, but the beginning of the happy ending starts at the end of the chapter. It's pretty much a few chapters of pure fluff dead ahead, my friends.

“Marinette? Marinette, it’s time to wake up.”

“I’m awake.” Truthfully, she had never fallen asleep.

Marinette almost cringed at the sound of her voice as she quieted Tikki. It was hoarse from hours of sobbing into her pillows. She knew she must look as bad as she felt. It would take a while to get herself ready for school, to look normal enough no one would question her solemnity. She knew she had to, but the thought alone exhausted her.

“I’m sorry, Marinette,” Tikki murmured, drifting closer to her. The kwami’s eyes offered solace she could never voice. They had been warned to never reveal their identities, time and time again, and they’d done just that. She had no one to blame but herself.

“I’m sorry, too,” Marinette whispered. She finally sat up and hauled herself out of bed, down from the loft to the bathroom. She was careful to avoid any mirrors, certain if she saw herself looking as sad and broken as she felt it would sap whatever strength she had mustered to attempt normalcy. A shower, she hoped, would undo most of the damage.

As she worked through the morning, Marinette turned her thoughts towards what the rest of the day would hold. Her options were to sit in the back with Lila or suffer through sitting directly behind Adrien. Could she do it? Could she sit behind him and not fall apart? Would he try to confront her at school? Could she stick to her story? Had Plagg told Adrien what she’d said in the Louvre?

“Tikki?” She’d finally worked her way to a mirror as she styled her hair into two familiar pig tails. She watched as her kwami drifted closer to her shoulder. “If I had forgotten Chat Blanc, would you have told me?”

Tikki’s eyes saddened. “No, Marinette. Kwami’s cannot interfere. We are your guardians and guides, but we cannot change the course of events in that way. It’s why even though I knew Adrien was Chat Noir, I never pushed you towards him. Telling you would have put your partnership at risk, and all of Paris as well. It may have handed Hawkmoth the victory he’s been hoping for. And it would have done more harm than good.”

Marinette wavered. “I…told Plagg. About the destruction of Paris. Do you think he told Adrien?”

Tikki’s eyes widened, but she shook her head. “It could change too much. But Marinette, if you truly believe this is the right path, perhaps you should tell him yourself.”

“I…” Marinette felt that fragile strength she’d worked for start to shake at the idea of trying to say anything. “I don’t know if I can.”

“He won’t let it go, Marinette. You’ll have to make him. You’ll have to give him a good reason.”

“The truth,” Marinette whispered. Tikki nodded in the mirror. “After all this time, after a year of lying.”

Tikki finally smiled. “The truth can set you free. But some things never change. We’re going to be late.”

Marinette spared a glance at the clock; Tikki was right, but she didn’t feel the usual panic to get to school on time. A part of her even felt relieved. With the class already in session, it meant she wouldn’t have to sit there and pretend to be ok or fear he’d try talking to her in front of others. The Adrien she knew would never have done it, but Chat Noir was notoriously unpredictable. 

Marinette gave herself one finally check before leaving. She looked…normal. At least at first glance. The bags under her eyes were nothing new and concealed as usual. Her skin and hair were clean, her clothes fresh. She looked like Marinette. Only Alya was likely to notice the emptiness of her smile, the unending sadness she couldn’t hide in her eyes. Alya, and…him. And she couldn’t let him see that she was hurting as much as him, couldn’t risk him figuring out this was the last thing she wanted…and that she loved him, too. 

Neither of her parents noticed she was quieter than usual as she slipped past them in the bakery, offering quick kisses as she headed out the door. It helped that the bakery was busy, keeping them from eyeing her too much. Too soon, Marinette found herself slipping through the doors into the quiet school. The storm in her heart felt strange against the familiar routine, raging in her head while the halls remained silent and empty. 

And then she was at the classroom.

“You can do this, Marinette,” she heard Tikki whisper from her purse. “I’ll be here with you the whole time.”

Marinette made herself glance through the door window at their teacher first. Her back was to the room as she wrote on the board. Marinette waited until she turned back to lecture, and the next time she turned back to the board, Marinette silently slipped through the door.

Hardly anyone even looked up. It had become to routine it was practically expected she would be late. Rose waved. Lila sneered. And Adrien… she couldn’t look at him. Not yet. She was too afraid of what she’d see in those eyes. But she couldn’t not smell the sharp scent of him as she passed his desk, the flash of gold as the morning light glinted off his hair. She couldn’t help the intrinsic part of her that was hard wired to know him when she was this close.

“Girl, what happened?” Alya whispered as Marinette slid into her seat beside her best friend. 

“What do you mean?” Marinette whispered back as she pulled out her notebook. It was easier to be behind him than she’d thought it would be, where he couldn’t see her.

Alya pointed to Adrien with her pencil. “He’s been asking about you all morning. Did you write him another note or something?”

Marinette couldn’t stop herself from looking now. There was a tightness in Adrien’s shoulders that hadn’t been there before, something she doubted anyone but her would truly notice. 

“Or something,” Marinette allowed. Tikki had said to tel the truth. Maybe she could use small parts of it to explain why they were behaving so weird. It was becoming clear neither of them were going to be able to play the ‘normal’ game. “It didn’t go well.”

Alya’s face dropped. “It didn’t?” Marinette simply shook her head. “I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it. He can’t just brush you off like that!”

“He didn’t,” Marinette said, backpeddling. This was’t what she had meant. “The other way around, actually. He, uh. Finally figured out that Valentine I wrote months ago was from me, but I realized my feelings had changed. You know, Luka?” A lie. A total lie. Luka was great. Sweet, considerate, thoughtful, talented. An amazing guy. But not the right guy, another truth she’d been able to bury until this disaster had blown up in her face. Another person she would probably lose because of this.

Alya scrutinized Marinette’s face, searching. For once, there wasn’t anything else to find. The pain of her choice covered everything else.

“Are you sure, Marinette?”

Marinette just nodded. “I don’t have a crush on him anymore, but…I don’t think our friendship can survive it.” Another half-truth. She didn’t have a crush on him. She was unequivocally, irrevocably, helplessly, absolutely in love with him. She’d thought she couldn’t be anymore than she already was, but if the long night had changed one thing, it had been to solidify her feelings as she reconciled that Adrien, the boy she liked, and Chat Noir, her closest friend, the person she trusted the most, were the same person. It had only made her love him more, and she was going to lose both.

“Come on, Mare, Adrien’s a great guy.” Alya smiled. “Besides, he and Kagami are together now; bygones should be bygones. I know it’ll be awkward, but don’t sweat it. He won’t hold it against you.”

Marinette wished it were true. Even though it hurt, at least she had laid the ground work for their behaviour. Hopefully anything anyone else saw would be chalked up to her story. For now, all she could do was offer Alya a weak smile, as though she hoped it were true but doubted things could return to normal. 

The day was agonizing. She was exhausted by lunch, worn out by staying constantly aware of Adrien’s presence, anxiety building in her chest at the thought of any possible akuma attack, knowing it would give him the opportunity to pursue her. She made sure her bag was packed and she slipped from the classrooms nearly as soon as the bell rang, letting herself be swept up in conversations with her classmates that prevented him from stopping her. At lunch she even resorted to hiding on the roof, hoping he would think she was smart enough not to use her miraculous at school for selfish reasons while she knew it wasn’t really a questions of smarts, but strength.

But by then, she knew. She’d caught him out of the corner of her eye following after her, attempting to steal time between classes. She’d managed to escape at lunch by ducking into the girls room and squeezing out the window, but she knew Tikki had been right. She was going to have to tell him the truth, or at least part of it, and before another akumatized victim showed up. If she wasn’t careful, she or Adrien was liable to be targeted. 

“You were right, Tikki,” Marinette murmured. She was sitting on the roof with her legs drawn up, gently massaging the bruises, her forehead resting on her kneecaps.

“I have a feeling that’s often the case.”

Marinette froze as adrenaline flooded her system, making her heart pound. Of course he’d found her. She wasn’t even surprised, really.

“More times than I’d like to admit,” Marinette said as she raised her face to meet Adrien’s eyes. They didn’t look sad, or angry, like she’d expected. They looked gentle.

“Maybe now we can have that talk? Or are you still running away from me?”

Marinette struggled to maintain a neutral face as Adrien slowly lowered himself to the rooftop across from her, like she was a startled animal that would bolt if he moved too fast.

“I don’t get it. We were friends before we found out…you know.” Those green eyes searched her face like he could find the answers written there. “You know something else, don’t you, Marinette?”

“Plagg?”

“Hinted you had your reasons,” Adrien admitted. So the kwami’s could find ways around their limitations after all. The silence between them stretched on. Adrien seemed content to wait until she was ready to speak. Hadn’t he always been that way? Just one more thing she loved about him. One more thing to miss. 

“This…isn’t the first time you figured it out, Adrien,” Marinette finally said. She forced herself to look at him. “There was one more time. Remember your fifth’s name day? I made a mistake, and you figured out who I was.”  
“The beret Ladybug left in my room,” Adrien said as he remembered. “The beret you left.”

Marinette nodded. “I’m not sure what…happened, exactly, but it changed things. Bunnix came for me. She took me into the future and…it was…horrible.” Marinette’s heart squeezed as the memories flashed before her, and for a moment it wasn’t Adrien sitting in front of her, but him.

“Paris was destroyed. Flooded. There were no people anywhere.”

“How?” Adrien didn’t look nearly as concerned as she thought he should. “We would have stopped it. I know we would have.”

She hadn’t meant to tell him all of it. She’d wanted to spare him the nightmares, the hopelessness that came with the knowledge, but just like the day before, there was no other option. Already she could see him starting to put the pieces together.

“You.” The word came out strangled, a broken whisper. “You were akumatized. I don’t know how, but I know that if you know who I am, then it means the end of the world.”

Adrien’s eyes darted back and forth as he processed the horrible truth, reconciling what he knew of her and Ladybug like she had done the night before. All the absences, or times he had disappeared, how he’d blushed and stammered whenever Ladybug was around.

“You didn’t know who I was.”

Marinette blinked. “What?”

“You saved me, right?” Adrien was leaning forward now. “In that other timeline? You saved me when I was akumatized.” Marinette nodded. “But you didn’t know it was me?”

“No…”

“That was part of that future then, wasn’t it?” Adrien speculated. “I knew you were Ladybug but you didn’t know I was Chat Noir. And you haven’t seen Bunnix?”

“No.” She couldn’t breathe. Her whole body felt frozen, like at any moment the hope that shone on his face would come crashing down on her, obliterating any chance she had.

“Then we’ve already changed our future, Marinette.” He reached for her, taking one of her hands in his own. Her fingers felt like ice against his warm skin. Heat bloomed in her chest, flickering and dangerous, thawing the deep freeze that had descended the day before. “And we can face this together. So there’s only one question left that still really matters. You said there was someone else that you loved. Is there any chance at all that it was - ”

“You.” Could he be right? Could them both knowing be enough to save them and their future? Was it really possible that she could have both?

Adrien’s smile was overwhelming, freer and brighter than she had ever seen. “Really?”

Marinette nodded as hope coarse through her blood, warming her, easing the terror she’d felt since the day before. “It’s always been you, Adrien. I must have tried to tell you a million times, but…something always happened. I didn’t sign the card, or I gave you the wrong thing. I’ve loved you since the day we met, even when I didn’t know it yet. Even when I tried to let you go.”

Marinette didn’t try to stop him as he pulled her to his chest, one arm around her waist while his other hand cradled her cheek. A burble of laughter spilled out as she wrapped her arms around him as well, holding him as close as he could. It was too much, so different from how the day had started, what she’d been expecting. 

“I love you, Marinette,” Adrien said, running his fingers under her chin to tilt her face up to his. “I always have. I always will. And I’m not scared of the future, as long as you’re a part of it.” Slowly, giving her time to stop him if she chose, Adrien lowered his lips to hers. But Marinette was done waiting, and she was done pushing him away. 

Without hesitating, Marinette met him half way, pressing her lips to his. That same electricity she had felt the day before when he’d kissed her cheek exploded through her and she pressed closer, winding her fingers through his hair. It was like she had been drowning for so long and she had finally come up for air. Something inside her finally clicked into place. She knew it in her soul. 

Home. Marinette was finally home.


	4. Fall My Feathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I lied. Very soft angst, I realized I had a few loose ends to tie up. I promise nothing (except our happy ending), though I feel the next chapter is fluff and should be very cathartic for us and our detail-DISoriented children. Please let me know if you enjoyed the chapter, or are enjoying the fic as a whole, and if you notice any other loose threads I may have forgotten to pick up <3
> 
> P.S, I do feel like these two 'let go' too easily, but I also feel that, like, all of Paris knows Adrien and Marinette love each other, so like. What do you do when they finally figure it out, y'know?

The breeze was warm as it drifted off the Seine and ruffled Marinette’s hair. For once everything seemed quiet and…peaceful. For once, she wasn’t worried about anything. Well. Almost.

“Hey, Marinette.”

Marinette smiled, savouring the moment. It might be the last one she got, and already more than she deserved.

“Hi, Luka.” Marinette straightened from the wall she’d been leaning against and turned to face him. She wasn’t sure what they were, but she did know he liked her as much more than a friend. And she wasn’t about to lead him on anymore than she’d lead Chat Noir on.

Still, that didn’t make it easy. How to tell him there would never be more than friendship between them without hurting him too badly? What if she’d been imaging it? He was a musician; maybe he just spoke like that all the time? But Tikki had agreed. But then, she was kwami, how much could she try know about human emotions and confessions of love? What if she was dead wrong and made a total idiot of herself?

A quiet laugh broke disrupted her train of thought, thankfully stopping her before she started babbling the way she used to around Adrien.

“I was wondering when he’d figure it out,” Luka said, twisting to lean on the wall Marinette had just straightened from. “I knew as soon as he did that I wouldn’t stand a chance. I must admit, I’d hoped I’d get a little more time.”

Figured it out? _Figured it out?! **How many people knew she was Ladybug???**_

“Uh, haha, figured what out?” Marinette asked. Her mind was already racing, a million excuses on her tongue.

“How amazing you are,” Luke said with a small, sad smile. “I couldn’t believe it the first time I saw you together. It was pretty obvious how you felt; I didn’t get how any guy could be around you and not fall head over heels.”

“Oh…” Marinette heaved a sigh of relief as she sank back down on the wall next to him. She was sure her face had gone red to the tips of her ears. “To be fair, he wasn’t the only one who had some figuring out to do.”

“I get it, Marinette.”

“You’re a great guy, Luka.” It was all she could offer.

“But not the right one.”

“Not for me,” Marinette said. “But you’re an amazing person. You’re sweet, and kind, and thoughtful and patient. And, if it’s ok with you, I’d consider myself lucky if I could still count you among my friends.”

“You’ll always have my friendship, Marinette,” Luka said, bumping her shoulder. “But…I have to ask, as your friend…are you sure about him?”

Marinette nodded. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

“Good.”

* * * * * * * 

“It’s Marinette, isn’t it.”

Kagami wouldn’t look at him. Not that he could blame her. He felt bad that he had hurt her, and a part of him knew he deserved to. She’d been clear about her feelings and he’d used them to try to get past Ladybug. He’d really thought he could have done it, too. Kagami was perfect for him. It should have been easy. But what made him love Marinette was all her tiny imperfections.

“I’m sorry, Kagami.” It was the best Adrien could offer her. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, it just…did. I didn’t want to play with your feelings like that.”

“I suppose I should be grateful.” She was still turned away, but Adrien could see her reflection in the car window. He didn’t think he’d ever see Kagami cry over anything; she wasn’t the type.

“I understand if you need some space,” Adrien said as the car pulled up outside her home. He’d offered to drive her home after their fencing lessons, which had been stilted and awkward. He’d been distracted by what he knew he would do after. “And I understand if asking for your friendship is too much right now.”

Kagami did turn to face him then. A lone tear traced its way down her cheek, but her face was as stoic as ever. Kagami could understand his life better than anyone, but Marinette knew parts of him no one else ever would. He loved her. It was as simple as it as that. It always had been. He’d never been able to turn that off, even when he’d wanted to. 

“You were the first friend I ever made, Adrien.” To her credit, her voice didn’t shake. “And the first boy I… You’ll always have my friendship, Adrien. But a little space would be appreciated.”

Adrien nodded. “I understand.”

And he did. There were times after Ladybug had rejected him he’d just wanted to hide, unable to face her knowing he could never have her. He could never begrudge her that.

“You love her.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.”

Finally, a small, sad smile. “I can’t even blame you.”

“If you need anything, ever, all you have to do is call.”

Kagami nodded. And then she stepped out of the car and disappeared into her house.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Adrien couldn’t help his thoughts from turning to Marinette. All this time. A year, gone, but not really. And all those times he’d thought he was losing something… When Ladybug didn’t come to the rooftop, but Marinette did. When he’d written that poem to her, and Marinette had responded. It had always been her. He’d thought he couldn’t love her anymore than he already did, but reconciling Ladybug’s cleverness and bravery with Marinette’s warmth and friendship… 

It was like he had been blind and was seeing the stars for the first time. He’d seen hints of one in the other, like when Marinette stood up for other students in their class, or when they’d fought Gamer 2.0, coincidences that had begun to confuse him. For the first time since his mother had disappeared just over a year ago, Adrien felt his heart begin to ease. 

The future was still uncertain. Whatever future Marinette had seen, it had destroyed a piece of her, and that had been his fault. Whatever had caused that, he knew it hadn’t been because of Marinette. How could it be? He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this happy. And while they might have already changed their path, there was nothing to say something else couldn’t push it off course again. He would just have to be ready. As long as he knew, he could prepare. And as long as Marinette was in his life, he wasn’t scared of anything. He’d do anything for her, of that he was certain. Anything. Including changing their stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S!
> 
> I have a fabulous idea for a Christmas fic, inspired by the best accidental identity reveal of all literal time, Batman and Catwoman. If you know it, you know, if you don't, you're in for a treat ;)


	5. Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette helps Adrien remember their first kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol so I'm not so great at fluff, but I'm working on it. Are there any fluff scenarios you'd like to see?

“What about when you weaponized me and flung me directly into Stoneheart?” Adrien’s laugh reverberated through Marinette’s back, his breath tickling her ear. Late afternoon sunlight spilled through her sunroof, warming them both where they were cuddled on her bed, her back to his chest, his arms around her as her head rested back against his shoulder. 

“I told you to trust me,” Marinette giggled, remembering.

“I’ve never regretted that decision.” He pressed a soft kiss to her temple. Marinette felt her face heat, but different than it used to be. Yes, she was flustered at his attention, but though her heart still skipped, she was free of the rampant anxiety that had always plagued her around him.

“What about that time you just happened to be on the startrain,” Marinette said, tickling his side.

“You told me you _teleported_ there!” Adrien said with fake indignation as he twisted away from her hands. He abruptly leaned into a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides.

“That’s cheating!” Marinette laughed. Adrien loosened his grip but left his arms around her with a chuckle of his own. 

“What about Dark Cupid,” he said, resting his cheek on top of her head.

“What about him?” Marinette asked, frowning. The most important thing about that was that someone had gotten akumatized because of Chloe. Again.

“I can’t believe I don’t remember our first kiss.”

“Oh!” That _had_ been the first one, hadn’t it? She could feel rather than see Adrien’s disappointment, and it made her ache. She’d kept so much from him. Other things he’d lost through a trick of time. It wasn’t fair. 

“Marinette?” Adrien’s disappointment briefly morphed into confusion as Marinette slipped out of his arms. She settled down on her bed, tugging on his arm until he was hovering over her, his face mere inches from her own. “What - ”

“It’s valentines day,” she said, cutting him off. “Kim’s been akumatized into Dark Cupid. I find him first, but I slip off a steep roof. That’s when you find me. You say you have something to tell me, but Dark Cupid finds us first. You save me from getting hit with one of those arrows, but you’re hit instead. You and Dark Cupid end up teaming up, but as we fight, I remember Miss Bustier’s lesson from that day, about what will break the spell. I manage to distract Dark Cupid long enough to free you. You tackle me, and we end up like this, seconds away from losing my miraculous. And then…:

Marinette reached up and cupped Adrien’s face, pulling him down to her. It was different this time. Better. Back then she’d been saving her friend and partner who’d been too out of it to realize what was going on.

This time, Adrien slipped his arms under her back and head, pulling her closer. This time, Marinette slid her arms up around his neck. This time, it lasted much longer than three seconds. 

“You saved me,” Adrien breathed as they broke apart. Both of them were flushed. Still breathless, Marinette nodded. Adrien leaned back down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Marinette said, stroking his blonde hair back from his face. “You saved me first, remember?” 

Adrien smirked. “Fair enough, m’lady.”

Marinette giggled as Adrien rolled to the side, pulling her with him so her head was resting on his chest while he played with the ends of her hair. In that moment, she couldn’t imagine a future where he could be akumatized. And more importantly, she had never been more sure that, whatever their future held, she would always save him.


	6. Showtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien pulls some strings to get Marinette in on his photoshoot, but he's totally unprepared for the outcome

“Wow.”

Adrien had pulled every string he’d had, if you could even call them that, for this photoshoot. Specifically, he’d pulled every string he had to make sure it was on this weekend, when he knew Lila would be out of town and he just so happened to know a beautiful designer with a flair for fashion that could step in for her. He hadn’t meant to keep his arrangement with Lila from Marinette, not really, there’d just never seemed to be a good time to bring it up.

But all thoughts of Lila were sand-blasted from his brain as he beheld Marinette in one of the several gowns his father had designed for the upcoming formal season. They’d decided to keep their relationship a secret, both because of what Marinette had told Alya previously, and because it would be safer for Ladybug and Chat Noir. But Marinette was making keeping that secret almost impossible. The shy, stammering girl he’d known might have been swallowed by the dress, but this girl, this person she’d become since she’d finally been able to blend her two identities, wore the gown with grace, transforming in it to become a gentle goddess visiting them to bestow her love and beauty upon them all.

At least, that was the single thought that had managed to surface since she’d stepped into view. It was the kind of comment that he knew would make Plagg gag if he’d had to hear him say it out loud, but he couldn’t help it. Ladybug - Marinette - had always inspired something poetic in him.

“You look…amazing,” Adrien said, reaching for the adequate words and coming up short. 

“Do you think?” Marinette asked. She ducked, trying - and failing - to hide a blush as she fussed with her bangs.

“Yes,” Adrien said, pulling her hand away. “I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful in my entire life.”

Marinette’s blush deepened, but she still wouldn’t look at him. He cast about desperately for the words to convince her, finally landing on a favourite sonnet, one that had, at one time, given voice to what he’d been feeling. 

“Shall I compare thee to a summers day?” he began, and was rewarded when she finally did look up at him, eyes wide. “Thou art more lovely and more temperate; rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and summer’s lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, and often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, by chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed: But thy eternal summer shall not fade, nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade when in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

If he didn’t know better, he’d think Marinette was playing some version of the wax statue prank he’d played on her. She’d totally frozen, and it was his turn to blush. “Too much?”

She shook her head, finally blinking. “I just…wow.” She loosed a shaky laugh. “I just really wish I could kiss you right now.”

Adrien grinned, relieved. “I’ll remind you later,” he teased. 

“Adrien, Marinetta!” the photographer interrupted, striding over. “I’m told you already know each other, wonderful. You both look stunning, now let’s get going before we lose the light, eh?”

But as the photoshoot progressed, Adrien couldn’t help but worry he’d made a mistake in setting up Marinette as his modelling partner. It wasn’t that she wasn’t good. Quite the opposite, actually: after a few awkward first shots and a little guidance, she bloomed like a flower in the sun, striking dynamic poses that flattered them and showed off unique design elements at the same time. While he’d been nervous the first few times he’d modelled, Marinette seemed to shine after the first few frames. 

No, _he_ was the problem. Adrien prided himself on being a professional, but today he was distracted, his focus constantly drawn to Marinette. Just when he’d get a grip, they’d change outfits and he’d have to start all over again. 

If there was anything wrong with the pictures, though, the photographer didn’t seem to notice. If anything, he seemed more inspired any time he slipped, snapping away at even the candid moments when he’d fix a fold on her dress or help her down the stairs. 

And with Marinette there, the photoshoot was more fun than he’d ever thought it could be. They joked between takes, occasionally coming dangerously close to hinting at their secrets, a little inside joke that was too good not to share. At one point she actually teased him, and Adrien felt himself fall a little harder, if such a thing was even possible. 

“All right, we’re about done here,” the photographer finally said, glancing over his shoulder at the setting sun. “If we could try one last thing: do you two feel comfortable with a kiss?”

Adrien blinked, surprised by the request. It wasn’t like it hadn’t been made before, but… He glanced down to Marinette, and wasn’t all too surprised to see her face had gone totally red.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to,” he said at once, taking her hand. “I didn’t know he’d ask that, I just thought this would be a fun day for us, but I want you to be comfortable. It’s one hundred per cent your choice, Marinette. 

She gazed up at him, utterly stunning in a pale pink princess gown that fell off her shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her right then, to make her feel as beautiful and cherished as she was to him, but he knew there would plenty of time for that later, if that was what she chose, and she’d be just as beautiful then, in a dress or pajamas. 

But Marinette wavered for only a moment more before that familiar determination slid into place. It was so clear, he didn’t know how he’d never noticed it before. 

“I think it’d be nice,” she said, resting a hand on his chest. He could hear the words she wasn’t saying. It’d be a real token of their relationship, something they could both hold on to when they couldn’t hold on to each other in front of their friends and family. It had been a sacrifice he’d been prepared to make when she’d suggested it, but this opportunity was an unexpected kindness that they could say had been beyond their ability to control. 

“If you’re sure?” he tested. She nodded, and Adrien grinned. “Alright then, m’lad - ”

The familiar nick name wasn’t even half way out of his mouth when Marinette cupped his face and gently but firmly pulled his lips to hers.

If seeing Marinette in his fathers’ gowns had sand-blasted his brain, her kiss was like an atom-bomb going off behind his eyes. He forgot where they were or who might be watching. He forgot who they were and all the secrets they were trying to keep. He forgot they were in the middle of a shoot, he forgot that a photographer was snapping away as Marinette pressed _closer_ to his chest, _he forgot his own name_.

And then his arms were around her waist, dipping her back for a brief moment before he pulled her back, lifting her clear of the ground as they spun. She broke away with a laugh that eased lonely parts of his he hadn’t even realized were still hurting. He laughed with her, scooping her up bridal-style and kissing her again. He just…he _loved_ her. He’d thought he’d known what magic was the first time he’d used his miraculous, but it was nothing compared to what he was experiencing now. This was true magic. _Marinette_ was magic.

“Bellisima!” the photographer called. “We are finito. Well done, you two. I believe your father will be very happy with these pictures. Beautiful job, Marinetta - you are a natural!”

“Oh, do you think so?” Marinette asked. She was once again the shy, blushing girl Adrien had always known, but now he knew it only hid a quiet strength and determination. 

“I think so,” Adrien offered. She smiled, and he knew then whatever backlash he might face from Lila would be worth it, a hundred times over it’d be worth it. 

And later, when they got the prints, he would keep one copy under his pillow, where it was safe and he could look at it before he went to sleep. In his copy, they were both smiling as they kissed, Marinette in a gentle dip, his arms around her waist.

In Marinette’s copy, which she’d boldly pinned to the cork board beside her bed, he was holding her bridal-style, the soft pink fabric of the gown’s skirt flowing like a waterfall to the floor, her hair spilling down like an ebony waterfall as they kissed in the setting sun.

It was enough, just to have this piece of her, to have proof that it was real. One day, he promised himself a few nights later as he slid the photo back under his pillow. One day, when they’d defeated Hawkmoth, when Paris was finally safe, he’d shout that he loved her from the top of the glittering Eiffel tower. He’d never stop telling Marinette that he loved her. Not ever. Because, if nothing else, after all this time, she deserved to know it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I had a really hard time ending this chapter. Idk, fam, I did the best I could. I hope you like it!


	7. Full Gallop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Tikki-less Marinette can't just watch Adrien take on a villain by himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I'm working on only doing angst in moderation, I guess? I'm not exactly sure what happened, when I had the idea I was like "it's fluff!" and then I wrote it and I was like "this is not it." But I still like it. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave your fave fluff tropes in the comments, that area is not my strong suit and I just need my beans to be happy <3

“Don’t touch her!”

Chat Noir felt fear seize his heart as he watched, too far, too slow to save her as Marinette - _Marinette_ \- confronted Hawkmoth’s latest victim in front of their school. It had happened so suddenly neither of them had had time to react. One second they were in class, trying to pretend the other was just a friend.

The next an akuma victim was calling herself the Witchling and hurling curses at pedestrians outside - and Tikki wasn’t there. She’d stayed at home to heal Trix, who’d taken sick after their last fight with Rena Rouge. 

He’d told Marinette to hide until Tikki came, certain the kwami would be alerted to the battle happening next door. And then, though it killed him to leave her unprotected, he left, ducking into an empty classroom to transform.

He’d thought she’d be safe inside. He’d thought she’d wait for Tikki. He’d _thought_ she knew that the average person could never hope to win against an akumatized victim. 

But there she was, standing in the street with… a _mirror_ strapped to her arm, and a yard stick in her other hand. She looked like some kind of knight, and it would have been completely charming if it didn’t terrify him so much.

“Marinette, run!” he yelled, already swinging down toward her. Not fast enough, he knew, as Witchling raised her palm.

“No,” she shouted back. And then she surprised him, ducking out of the way of Witchlings’ curse and taking a swipe at her at the same time, faster than he’d thought she could move. The curse missed by inches, withering weeds that had been growing on the sidewalk. “Why should you and Ladybug have to fight alone all the time? I won’t abandon you.”

“ _Ladybug_ will be here any minute,” Adrien said, glaring at her. He finally reached her and yanked her out of the way as another curse came flying. He pushed her behind him and set his baton spinning, putting up what shield he could between them and Witchling. 

“I don’t think she will be,” Marinette whispered quietly. Adrien tried not to let his surprise show as he lashed out suddenly at Witchling, going for the surprise attack. “Trix and Tiki are in the Miracle Box, and it’s sealed while they’re in there. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, Mari. I can handle this,” he said. He struck again, this time making contact. Witchling stumbled back, hard, and hit the ground, momentarily stunned. Adrien didn’t waste the opportunity. He turned to Marinette, gripping her shoulder firmly. “I can’t focus with you here like this, Marinette. You’re amazing, but you know you’re putting yourself at too much risk. I can’t win if I’m worried about you getting hurt.”

Something flickered in her eyes before they softened and she nodded. “Save your cataclysm for the akuma,” she said. “I think it’s in her - NO!”

It happened quickly, then.

Marinette threw herself at him, knocking him off balance as she twisted them around. She was just fast enough that he saw it when the curse struck her back with a shower of sparkles. Marinette let out a small ‘oof’. Her knees buckled and she fell. He caught her under the arms just in time.

“Marinette? _Marinette_!” He cradled her head as they sank to the street together. Her eyes fluttered, and she smiled softly, reaching up to touch his cheek.

“Sorry, Kitty,” she whispered. “…love…you…”

Her hand fell as her eyes closed, still except for her gentle breathing. Asleep. A sleeping curse.

Anger swept through Adrien, hot and unfamiliar as he gently lay Marinette down and stepped in front of her. It was so typical, he thought, for Marinette to give everything she had to protect the people she loved and to pay the ultimate price for it. He loved her for it as much as he ached to watch her give pieces of herself away, bit by bit. She deserved so much more than that. 

“I’ve got her, Chat Noir.” He glanced over his shoulder to see Alya kneeling by Marinette, gently pulling her head onto her lap. 

“Protect her for me,” he said, the words strangled. Alya nodded, and he turned his attention back to Witchling.

“You’re going to pay for that,” he hissed, advancing on her. Witchling just laughed, lining up more of her spells. He attacked, striking harder and faster than he had before, trying to shut out the one thing he’d realized as Marinette had fallen: without her, there would be no Miraculous Ladybugs to repair everything. And without the lucky charm getting triggered, they couldn’t be called up. 

The fight was short. Adrien destroyed Witchlings’ spell book, sending the akuma free. He activated his cataclysm; it was over in moments. Civilians surrounded them, some consoling Hawkmoth’s latest victim, other’s pawing at him for a comment, an interview, and who _was_ that girl?

He pushed past them all.

Alya was still there with Marinette, but their friends now surrounded them in a loose circle.

“She’s still asleep,” Alya said as he knelt back down beside them. “Ladybug never came.”

“I know,” he said, pulling Marinette back into his arms. She turned in her sleep, cuddling into him and curling her fingers at his chest, as though holding onto him even then. He gently brushed her hair back from her brow, feeling hopeless. His anger had faded with Witchlings de-akumatization. It wasn’t her fault this had happened; it was Hawkmoth’s - and his. 

“So the miraculous ladybugs…?” He’d never seen Alya cry before, but there were tears in her eyes now. He just shook his head.

Suddenly, Marinette’s own words rang in his mind. _I remember Miss Bustier’s lesson from that day, about what will break the spell._ True love’s kiss. He heard his mother’s voice, reading a story to him before bed, about a princess who’d fallen into a deep sleep… 

Maybe. Just maybe. He was reckless and romantic and so completely in love with her enough to try. Slowly, he tilted Marinette’s face to his and kissed her. He poured everything he had into it; all that lost time they’d been drifting past each other; all the times they’d thought they’d lost each other; all the times they’d had nothing but themselves and had fought, had won. He kissed her deeply, wishing he’d had time to tell her how much he’d come to cherish her closeness, how her smile had banished his lonliness, how she’d given him a freedom he’d never thought he’d ever get. 

_Come back to me… Please, Marinette, come back to me. I promise I’ll never let anything hurt you again…please… please…_

“Mmm…” Adrien abruptly broke the kiss, leaning back as Marinette stirred and her eyes fluttered open. She gingerly reached up to touch her lips. “What…what happened?”

Beside her, Alya laughed. “Chat Noir saved you, girl! It was totally _miraculous_!”

“He did?” Marinette looked up at him. “You did?”

Adrien nodded. “True love’s kiss. I seem to remember that working for someone else, once upon a time.” He wavered as she smiled up at him, relief crashing through him. “Are you…are you really ok?”

Slowly, Marinette sat up and reached for him, wiping away tears he hadn’t realized he’d shed. “I’m really ok - thanks to you.”

He couldn’t help himself - he pulled her to him, embracing her tightly. “I really thought I might have lost you,” he whispered. He felt Marinette’s arms twine around his waist, warm and real and whole.

“It’ll take more than that to get rid of me,” she teased gently. “But I think you may be running out of time…”

As if on cue, Adrien’s miraculous beeped, down to it’s last toe pad. Two minutes and counting.

“Does that mean you’re official then?” 

Adrien and Marinette froze, simultaneously turning to Alya. Sure enough, with the crisis averted, her phone was out and recording. He’d swear she had literal stars in her eyes.

“True love’s kiss saved her, right?” Alya probed. “So that means you two are…?”

“No comment,” Adrien said dryly, for once out of puns. Reluctantly, he pulled away from Marinette and climbed to his feet. “And I’ve gotta go. Later.”

Adrien vaulted to the roof of the school and further, knowing Alya was likely still filming him - if she wasn’t begging Marinette for an exclusive on her new “boyfriend”. He could see her blushing face in his mind and couldn’t help an affectionate smile. 

Well. The cat was out of the bag now.


	8. LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little break from patrol never hurt anyone.

“You know if anyone sees us we’ll never live it down.”

She meant it, but Marinette knew she was just as guilty as Adrien. It had been his idea to pause their patrol at the top of the Eiffel tower, producing the plushest, warmest blanket she’d ever seen, but she hadn’t exactly protested as he’d tugged her in. He’d guided her to the edge of the platform and pulled her down. Their feet dangled off the edge where she sat between his legs, her back to his chest, head on his shoulder as they gazed out over the city. He’d wrapped the blanket around them both, and Marinette couldn’t help but relax against the warmth of his body.

Winter had finally arrived in Paris. A light snow had begun that morning and continued through the day, and now a fluffy white layer of it covered the city. It wouldn’t last, but it did look magical. With it had come plummeting temperatures, and while their miraculous staved off most of the cold, Marinette had to admit her fingertips and nose were starting to feel it.

So she’d let him pull her in, reluctantly admitting to herself that it was getting harder and harder to say no to him. It was making her reckless.

“Let ‘em look,” Adrien muttered, giving her a gentle squeeze that made her giggle. “We’ve given this city everything. They can give us five minutes on the Eiffel tower.”

So she let guard fall a little, watching the city lights twinkle in the cool night. For once it was quiet, the tower closed for its yearly maintenance. Her city really was beautiful.

“Hey, Mari?”

“Mm?” Marinette tilted her head back, taking in his profile in the low light as he watched the city. She didn’t think she was imaging the faint blush that spilled from under his mask. 

“When did you first know?” He glanced down at her, then quickly back towards the street. 

“Know?”

“That you felt like this,” he elaborated. Another quick glimpse. “About me.”

“Oh.” Marinette suddenly felt wide awake. She’d be willing to bet he wasn’t the only one blushing. 

“You don’t have to say,” he said quickly. “It was a dumb question anyway.”

“It wasn’t a dumb question,” Marinette said, pressing a little closer. “I was just surprised.” And, she realized…he really wanted to know. She thought back, remembering the first time she’d stammered, her first bout of clumsy bad luck, and the sound of his laugh.

“When you gave me your umbrella on that first day,” she said quietly. “You went out of your way to explain things to me when you didn’t have to, and you were so kind after I’d been so quick to judge. I never expected it from anyone who could be friends with Chloe.” She laughed softly. “I never really stood a chance. But the moment that I knew I _loved_ you…when my uncle was visiting and you came over to help translate for me. You were so generous. You always have been, but…” She trailed off as the memory played out. The soft ‘oh’ that had resounded through her, the sudden knowledge that she was stick-a-fork in her done. 

Adrien pressed a kiss to the top of her head with a soft sigh. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been a little worried…what with the modelling thing. People don’t always see…me.”

Something in Marinette’s heart twisted at his implication; not because she was hurt by it, but at how lonely he must have been, at once wanting to have friends and go to school while at the same time wondering if people liked him for him or what he had.

“You’re definitely cute, Kitty,” Marinette said. She twisted in his lap so her legs were draped over his and she could look up at him properly. He looked down at her, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a soft smile. “But it wasn’t the first thing I noticed. It wasn’t even the second, or third. Honestly, it might not have even made the top ten.”

Adrien burst out laughing, tickling her under the arms. “Careful, m’lady, or you’ll wound my pride.”

“What about you?” she giggled, pushing his hands away. 

“Me?” he teased, raising a brow.

“Fair is fair,” she insisted. “Please?”

“That’s cheating,” he pouted, mussing her hair. “You know I can’t say no to you.”

“With a cherry on top?” she twisted to kiss his shoulder, batting her eyelashes. He groaned, shaking his head.

“You’re incorrigible,” he complained. “There’ll be no living with you now.”

Marinette just waited, enjoying the moment whether he spoke or not. Enjoying the fact that she could finally _be_ here like this, with him. She’d never felt so content.

“Ultimate Mega-Strike Three.”

Marinette blinked. “What?”

Adrien sighed, smiling at the memory. “Ultimate Mega-Strike Three. For the first time, you seemed really at ease around me. It was amazing, and the first time I really saw the Ladybug in you. Competitive, self-assured, confident. And…you gave me your lucky charm.” He shook his head, laughing. “I can’t believe I never saw it.”

“That goes for both of us,” Marinette giggled, rolling her eyes. “Although ‘Adrien’ never tortured me with bad puns.”

“Well ‘Marinette’ never roped me into her crazy schemes without so much as an explanation!” Adrien countered.

Their laughter drifted from the top of the tower like music, floating down to the city below. For once the universe seemed to be on their side; for once, they passed the night in peace. For once, the stars over head weren’t so crossed as they’d been before.


	9. MariChat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marichat becomes canon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more Alya and Marinette, but we need to establish a few things, ok.

“Marinette? Come on, girl, the movie’s over.”

“Uhhh?” Marinette scrubbed at her eyes, suddenly aware of every kink in her body.

“You fell asleep after the first ten minutes,” Alya said. “But you should probably let Adrien go home now.”

That woke her up. Marinette straightened, abruptly conscious of exactly who’s shoulder she’d been sleeping on. Adrien, for his part, looked as reserved as he always had before. If it weren’t for the subtle pressure of his knee against hers, so slight no one could possibly notice it in the dim theatre except for her, even she might have thought she’d dreamed that she was anything more than a friend to him.

“I’m so sorry, Adrien,” Marinette said. It was true, too. She knew hadn’t minded her falling asleep on him, but he _had_ paid for her ticket to the movie she’d just completely missed.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a shrug. “What good are friends if you can’t fall asleep on them?”

“I owe you one,” she said, climbing to her feet.

“You looked like you needed it,” he said simply. He would know. Hawkmoth’s latest assault had kept them both up until the wee hours of the morning. She bet Adrien hadn’t had to be up for 6:30 to babysit that morning, though.

“Are you coming with us to Andre’s?” Alya interjected as the four of them gathered their things.

“Can’t,” Adrien said, “I have a fencing lesson _and_ a Chinese lesson this afternoon to make up for this morning.”

“Bummer,” Alya said as they headed out of the theatre. Sure enough, his car was idling by the curb for him.

“Day in the life,” Adrien said. “See you guys at school tomorrow.” Marinette’s hand tingled where Adrien’s fingers brushed hers in a silent goodbye. And then he was gone, his car disappearing between traffic.

“Ok, what is up with you two?” Alya said as the threesome set off, Nino in the lead.

Marinette was instantly on high alert. Had they noticed the hand thing? Their knees? “What do you mean?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Come on, girl. I’ve been putting up with your lame excuses for over a year now, and I’ve never questioned it because I am an awesome friend, and you are an awesome girl. But that whole thing with Chat Noir that you tried to brush off? How you and Adrien are suddenly close? I don’t know what it all means, but I _know_ you’re hiding something.”

Marinette glanced at Nino, but he appeared to engrossed in his phone to have overheard. How much could she really say? The truth had brought her and Adrien together, but he was a special case. The more people knew, the more dangerous it became to be Ladybug. She’d persuaded Alya not to post the footage of her and Chat Noir together, convincing it would jeopardize him and Ladybug and put them in danger. Alya had agreed, but that hadn’t stopped Alya - or their friends - from grilling her. Marinette had repeated the same thing ad naseum until they’d finally relented: no, they weren’t dating, or in love. They were just friends. He was just doing his job. No, she hadn’t seem him since. 

“No one else saw what I saw,” Alya continued. “He was destroyed, Marinette. He stopped Witchling and destroyed the akuma all by himself, and he didn’t even care. He was totally empty when he thought you were gone. Say what you want, but that boy is in _love_ with you. And you! You ran into the street to help him. You sacrificed yourself to save him! It was totally awesome, but totally reckless. And you’re trying to tell me you don’t feel the same way?”

“Ok!” Marinette burst out, grabbing her friends’ arm and dragging her to a halt. “Ok. You’re right.”

Alya blinked. “I…am?”

Part of Marinette shuddered at admitting to anything, but she also recognized she was in danger of losing the people closest to her if she kept pushing them away.

“Yes,” Marinette said. “It was…an accident. He was just…so charming, and he saved me so many times, and…I didn’t know it was happening until it was too late. I _thought_ I was in love with Adrien until I realized I…wasn’t.”

“Oh my god.” Alya looked like her brain had short-circuited. “Oh my _god_. And Adrien?”

Marinette shrugged. “He’s a great friend. He’s easy to be around, now that I, um, don’t feel like that for him anymore.”

“Oh my god!” Marinette was not expecting the grin that lit up her friends face. “Marinette, this is so awesome!”

“Um, it is…?”

“Uh, yeah!?” Alya squealed. “My best friend is dating one of Paris’ super cool super heroes! But, oh my god, what about Ladybug?”

Marinette flinched. “Ahaha ha, what…what about her?”

“Isn’t it awkward?” Alya asked. “I mean, they’re so close. They’re…you know, Ladybug and Chat Noir. They’re like Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. They’re LadyNoir. How does Marinette fit?”

Marinette squinted, not sure if she was flattered or insulted. “This isn’t an interview, right? This has to stay between us, Alya.”

“Of course,” Alya said, surprised. “Can you imagine if Hawkmoth found out? He’d come straight to your door, girl. Speaking of…” Alya laid a hand on Marinette’s shoulder, suddenly serious for the first time. “Are you…are you _sure_ about this, Marinette? I trust you completely, but Hawkmoth is for real.”

“I know,” Marinette agreed, giving her friend’s hand a squeeze. “That’s why it must remain secret.”

Alya nodded, and Marinette felt herself relax, if only slightly. Alya had never broken a promise or spilled a secret to her yet. If she could keep Rena Rouge secret, Marinette trusted to keep her ‘relationship’ with Chat Noir secret, too. Well. As secret as it could be when a bunch of witnesses had seen his ‘life-saving kiss’. 

“Ladybug’s fine with it,” Marinette said as they started walking again. “You know she’s always said they were just friends. She congratulated him even. I think she’s really happy for, uh, us.” Oh, boy. This was way worse than any flimsy excuse she’d ever given. The ice was getting mighty thin. 

Alya was quiet for a moment as she processed. Despite the stress of it, Marinette had to suppress a giggle. She didn’t think she was imagining the little disappointment that her two favourite people weren’t an item.

“Wait.” Alya stopped again and Marinette heaved an internal sigh, wishing she’d come up with a better lie instead of risking the truth. “Do you know Chat Noir’s identity?”

Months of instinct was the only thing that kept Marinette from completely giving herself away. 

“No,” she said automatically, feigning disappointment. “We agreed it’d be safer for both of us if I didn’t know. Maybe one day, when Hawkmoth isn’t around anymore. He told me even Ladybug doesn’t know who he is. It must be kind of lonely.”

“Girl,” Alya said with a soft smile, “No wonder he fell in love with you.”

“Just lucky,” Marinette said, grinning half-heartedly. 

“I got you,” Alya said. She wrapped her arm around Marinette’s shoulder in a hug. “And I’m always here for you if you need anything.”

“I’ll let you know,” Marinette said, and she found she meant it. She knew that ‘Chat Noir’ could break her heart, and Alya would be there with ice cream and video games to cheer her up without asking any painful questions.

Still, the next time Chat Noir crossed her path, Alya didn’t squander the opportunity and took the chance to give him a colourful warning should he ‘take any liberties with her friend’s heart’. Something, Marinette would fondly recall later, about ‘not needing a miraculous to kick your butt from here to the Eiffel Tower’ - to which he’d promptly replied ‘Marinette would be worth the trip’.

Somehow, Alya wasn’t so worried after that.


	10. Ladrien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien convinces Ladybug to be his date to the premier of the sequel of their film

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I'm really trying to incorporate all corners of the lovesquare in this fic, but I found it really challenging, because I find post reveal a lot of their interactions are similar to the Marichat chapter I've already written (one of them fights with the other without their miraculous). Still, I've tried a different angle and I hope you like it :) If there are any prompts or tropes you'd like me to include, please feel free to leave them in the comments :)

Adrien unsnapped his belt buckle as the car pulled up to the red carpet and straightened his jacket. Flashbulbs went off as the car rolled to a stop. Spotlights swept the night sky outside the theatre, illuminating the posters for the sequel to the Ladybug and Chat Noir film. 

Cheers spilled into the car as the door was opened. Adrien grinned as he stepped out of the car and waved to the fans lining the carpet. He often wished he could just be a normal teenager, but being able to make people happy with just a picture or autograph was one of the perks he did like. That, and…

He heard gasps as Ladybug alit on the carpet beside him. There was a momentary pause, and then the chaos of the red carpet doubled. He doubted anyone but him would notice, but Adrien didn’t miss the way her shoulders curved in, as though to protect herself from the onslaught. He knew how overwhelming these things could be, especially when you weren’t used to them. 

“Ladybug,” he said, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. The blush that spilled out from under her mask was barely noticeable to the cameras but unmistakable this close. “Thank you for being my date tonight.” He didn’t think he imagined the increase in flashbulbs going off.

“My pleasure,” she said with a smile. In truth, both Ladybug and Chat Noir had been invited to the premier of the film, much like the first time. Adrien had been invited as well, but rather than be forced to take Lila as his date since Marinette was ‘seeing someone else’, he’d come up with the idea of going with ‘Ladybug’. Marinette had been reluctant to use her miraculous for selfish reasons, but they’d compromised; she’d drop in to do the carpet with him during her patrol if she could and leave through the backdoor once inside the theatre.

And apparently, even Hawkmoth was busy tonight. So much the luckier for them. 

“Shall we?” he asked, indicating the first reporter in the press line. She nodded, and Adrien had to remind himself that slipping an arm around her waist might have been a natural thing for Chat Noir to do, but the kitty wasn’t here tonight.

“Adrien Agreste, Ladybug,” Nadia Chamuck said as they approached, the camera over her shoulder swivelling to them. “What a treat! First Chat Noir, now you two; is there something in the water in Paris?”

“Not at all, Nadia,” Ladybug said with ease. “We were both invited, and we thought it would be fun to do the carpet together as friends.”

“It’s an honour to escort one of Paris’s heroes tonight,” Adrien added. 

“I see,” Nadia said. He didn’t think he was imagining the disappointment in her voice. Same old Nadia. “Adrien, you returned to the cast to do the voice work for Chat Noir; was it challenging to come back the role of someone so different from you, or was slipping into the Chat’s boots easy?”

Adrien had years of practice perfecting his poker face. He didn’t let the irony of Nadia’s question phase him. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Ladybug, and she hid a giggle behind her palm. It was a variable he hadn’t prepared for, and after years of trying to make ‘Ladybug’ laugh and failing, he suddenly found himself trying to hide a chuckle of his own.

“Voicing Chat Noir is always fun,” Adrien said, just as they’d practiced. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ladybug begin to compose herself and he was struck with an idea. “You get to do things you’d never get to do in real life,” he continued, definitely not on-script. “I like to think we’re _purr_ -fectly suited to one another.”

“Oh my,” Nadia tittered, covering Ladybug’s sudden spate of laughter. Through it, Adrien could see the alarm in her eyes. “Do you agree, Ladybug? Does Adrien remind you of your partner?”

“They definitely have the same sense of humour,” Ladybug said, struggling to contain her giggles. 

“I understand the Miraculous team agreed to character interviews for the _Miraculous_ sequel,” Nadia said, “How would you say the movie compares to the real thing?”

“What I’ve seen so far looks amazing,” Ladybug said. Adrien, of course, had let her read the script after swearing her to secrecy. In her opinion, they’d done a much better job on the second film.

“It’s just as _miraculous_ as it looks in your coverage,” Adrien added. “Thanks, Nadia!” He lead them on to the next reporter in the line as Ladybug swallowed more laughter.

“What was _that_ ,” Ladybug asked, a knowing glint in her eye.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said innocently. 

And then they were once again in front of a camera, and that was how the night went. The questions were the same ones Adrien had gotten ahead of time, the ones they’d practiced together at school and on patrol, but his answers varied, and Ladybug laughed right through the press line. 

“How does this movie compare to the first?”

“I _feline_ they’re both amazing in different ways.”

“How did you get into character?”

“Lots of catnaps.” Wink.

“Would you come back for a third instalment?”

“Absolutely! The _charm_ of these films is undeniable.”

Ladybug wiped a small tear from her eye as they finally moved on from the last reporter. She’d been content to let him take the bulk of the interviews, sprinkling in answers when she wanted to.

“What _was_ that,” she asked, repeating her earlier sentiment. She looped her arm through his as they stepped into the theatre, another small giggle slipping past her lips. 

“I finally got you to laugh at my jokes,” he said, escorting her to the back door. “I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity… And, I wanted to make it fun for you. I know it can be a little overwhelming.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said automatically, but the softening of her smile let him know she’d appreciated it. 

“I wanted to.” It was true. ‘Adrien Agreste’ had an image to uphold, standards to meet, a facade to maintain. Tonight, ‘being’ Chat Noir had given him a loophole, and ladybug had given him a reason to exploit it. 

He opened the back door and the two of them stepped out. Everyone was still out front as the rest of the cast and crew walked the carpet. He could still hear them cheering.

“Time to go,” Ladybug said, unslinging her yoyo from around her hips. She winked. “Enjoy the movie.”

“Not likely without you,” he said. He gave her hand a squeeze, and before he could think better of it, leaned down and quickly kissed her. “Meet you soon.”

“See you soon,” she said, a little dazed. And then she was gone, swinging up to the rooftops, a red blur against the night sky

“Love you,” Adrien whispered, watching her until she disappeared. He brushed his lips, savouring the feeling of her kiss before he slipped back inside and found his seat. Later, he’d joke that the movie was a total wash not worth the price of admission. He’d never admit that he’d barely seen a minute of it because he’d been dreaming of her instead. The last thing his lady needed was an ego.


	11. Chat Blanc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a bad dream

“Where is…where _is_ it…”

Adrien startled awake as Marinette twisted against him, clawing at his torso through his shirt. He could feel the scratches she was leaving, white-hot lines on his skin.

“Where’s the…akuma…!”

“Mari,” he said, grabbing her wrists, “Mari! Wake up! _Marinette!_ ” 

“No!” She jerked one last time. He could see her blinking in the low light of her room as the moon filtered through the skylight in her ceiling. “Adrien?” Her fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt as she pressed her face to his chest. He released her wrists to pull her closer until she was practically sitting in his lap. She was crying, he realized. He pushed her hair away from her face, stroking it gently as she quieted.

It wasn’t the first time they’d fallen asleep together. Once, a few weeks ago, he’d stayed after their patrol to do homework. The next thing he’d known, the sun was coming through the windows and Marinette was sleeping quietly curled up against his side, the menu screen from the show they’d put on as a ‘study break’ playing on repeat. It had happened a few more times since then, but always at her house lest someone see him leaving. They hadn’t, but it made more sense than Ladybug being spotted leaving his house.

Since then, he’d insisted on tucking her in at a reasonable hour. He always meant to leave once she fell asleep, and most of the time, he did. Sometimes, though, after a particularly long day or early morning, when he was more tired than she was, he found himself ‘resting his eyes’ for a minute and waking up to the sun. Marinette insisted she didn’t mind. In fact, she’d all but straight up invited him to stay. He thought that maybe the only reason she didn’t was because she knew he couldn’t always say yes but knew he would when and if he could. She knew he wouldn’t want to say no, and she wouldn’t put him in a position where he had to. 

Tonight had been different. Adrien had asked to come over, and he’d asked to stay. Marinette had said she’d be up late working on a design, he’d said that it was ok, he loved to watch her work. He’d also admitted he’d had a falling out with his father and didn’t want to be alone right then.

“I’ll have your favourite waiting, kitty,” was all she’d said after that. Sure enough, there she was, waiting on the roof for him (the cookies fresh from the oven were a nice bonus). And he had spent hours on the chaise in her room, working on his homework while she poured over a notebook, occasionally glancing at her mannequin, an adorable furrow of concentration between her brows. At least, he’d tried to work on his homework. Watching Marinette design was captivating.

Still, at some point exhaustion had won out, and Adrien had kissed her on the cheek as she scribbled down a measurement before heading up to the loft. He’d let himself be a little selfish and taken the side closest to the railing. He knew it meant she’d have to climb over him, but…he wanted to see her. He’d fallen asleep watching Marinette drape glittery fabric across her mannequin, adjusting it a million times until it was just right.

“Bad dream?” Adrien murmured, finally leaning back to look down into her face. She looked exhausted and still a little confused as she blinked up at him.

“Total nightmare,” Marinette said with a shudder. Adrien instinctively reached for a blanket and pulled it up around her shoulders. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” He rubbed slow circles on her back. She sagged back against him with a soft moan, pulling the edges of the blanket tighter around herself.

“Chat Blanc,” she whispered. “Not always, but sometimes I dream of him. In my dreams, I fail. I lose you, and I turn to dust. You needed me and I…”

 _Chat Blanc_. A chill ran down Adrien’s spine. For a moment, he could almost see it. “Shhh, Marinette,” he said, tightening his hold on her. “It’s ok. It’s not real. It was just a dream.”

“But it was real,” she mumbled, sleepy again. “It was real, but not anymore.”

“Because you did save me,” Adrien said. He felt her nod against his chest. 

“…always save you…” she said, her hand dropping into her lap. Gently, he laid them back down, lying on his back with Marinette’s head on his shoulder as he held her hand on his chest.

“I know, bugaboo,” he whispered as he traced small patterns on the back of her hand. And she had, several times. How many times had he been the victim of of one of Hawkmoth’s villains, only to find himself free because Ladybug had succeeded? How many times had he sacrificed himself so they could win? Hell, he’d thrown himself off a building because she’d told him to jump. 

He wondered if she knew he’d do the same. Marinette was so capable he’d never truly had to save her. Even when her father had been akumatized, she’d freed herself. She was so clever, so brave. At his lowest, he’d wondered if she even needed Chat Noir. But even that smallest insecurity was wiped away time and time again by her. He’d never imagined she felt the pressure this much. He’d thought she knew he’d always save her, too.

“I love you, Marinette,” he said as she slept. It didn’t matter if she heard him or not. He’d say it now, and then he’d spend the rest of his life proving it. “No matter what Hawkmoth throws at us, no matter what happens to me, miraculous or no, I’d come for you. You’re… _everything_ to me. You don’t have to do this alone. You never have.”

He kissed the top of her head as drowsiness swept over him. Marinette was warm against his side, lulling him back to sleep. Overhead, the stars twinkled in the quiet night sky as though wishing them luck. In that moment, half asleep, Adrien had never been so content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't realize until after I'd started this fic there was some discourse on whether or not Marinette remembers the whole Chat Blanc thing. I guess you can tell what camp I'm in lol. If you disagree, I hope you still enjoyed this chapter (and this fic, since it keeps popping up). 
> 
> I should warn y'all I'm pretty content with the fluff content of this fic, and barring any requests from you guys, I'm going to start heading into plot-heavy territory. Not all at once, because that can be A Lot, but just so you guys aren't surprised, the Angst is coming. 
> 
> As always, please feel free to request any fluff tropes you're fond of <3


	12. Spots On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette attends a dinner party and gains and ally

Marinette bit her lip as she, Alya, and Nino approached the gate of Adrien’s house. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d come through the front door. Before she and Adrien had started…well, she didn’t know if she would call it dating. But usually she just swung over the wall and through his window. 

“Do you think he invited Ladybug?” 

Alya’s mention of her alter-ego brought Marinette screeching back into the conversation.

“What? Why?” she asked, tugging on the end of one of her pig tails.

“Becuase they’re “friends”,” she said, putting air quotes around ‘friends’. “And Adrien said his dad was finally letting him have his _friends_ over for dinner.”

“I think she’s pretty busy, Al,” Nino said, ringing the bell, “What with Hawkmoth and all.”

“Still,” Alya insisted. Marinette just offered a non-committal grin and shrug. Anything was, technically, possible. Her friend had grilled her relentlessly to find out what she knew about Adrien’s relationship with Ladybug. It was as bad as when Chat Noir had saved her from Witchling, if not actually worse. She’d had to play completely dumb, but couldn’t entirely bring herself to regret their choice.

Not even when the news outlets had run with it. ‘Ladybug and Adrien’ hadn’t appeared in public together again, but that hadn’t stopped them from running the same pictures from their premier for the past two weeks, or the tabloids from speculating. Just two days ago, a blurry picture of Adrien and Marinette had shown up on the cover of one, claiming secret trysts. Marinette had felt chills; no one had ever mistaken her for Ladybug before, and certainly not so publicly. Adrien had denied the photo later, saying he’d just been with a friend from school, but…well, Marinette couldn’t help but wonder. 

“Welcome,” Nathalie said as the front door opened, spilling light onto the front patio. “Alya, Nino, Marinette. Please join Adrien and his other guests in the living room. Dinner will be served shortly.”

For something that was supposed to be a small get together with friends, it sure felt more like a formal party to Marinette. No one had dressed up, but the rest of their friends were milling around, talking in hushed tones. Even Kagami had come.

“Hey guys!” Adrien said, breaking away from a conversation with Max and Kim. “Thanks for coming.” The subtle brush of his fingers sent tingles up Marinette’s arm. God, she hoped she wasn’t blushing. 

“Your dad finally relaxed and little and opened up the doors, dude,” Nino said with a fist bump. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Way cool,” Alya agreed. She was looking around the room with wide eyes.

“It was really nice of you to invite us,” Marinette said.

“It was really nice of my dad to let me,” Adrien half-muttered. Marinette knew what he meant; the two of them had patrolled early that day and talked about it. Maybe now, just little more than a year after his wife’s tragic passing, Gabriel Agreste was beginning to move on. Adrien had thought it had something to do with Nathalie, which he seemed to be mostly ok with when she’d asked. She could see the pain of Adrien’s loss even through his mask, but she’d seen hope there, too. And love. Always love. 

“Dinner is ready,” Nathalie announced, interrupting them. The group of them filed into the dining room, taking up seats along the long table. Marinette let Chloe elbow her out of the way so she could squeeze in beside Adrien. She took the seat across from him instead, Alya on her right, and Gabriel Agreste himself on her left at the head of the table. 

Peeking at him out of the corner of her eye, Marinette assessed the man as he spoke to Adrien. It was strange to think she’d been such an admirer of his work only a few short months ago. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t fantasized of Gabriel discovering her work and taking her under his wing to mentor her, giving her her start in the world of fashion. She’d been shocked to discover he wasn’t even interested in mentoring his own son. She understood strict parents, but Gabriel seemed frigid. Adrien was quick to make excuses for him, but Marinette could tell even he hoped for more from his father. 

Marinette blinked as salad dropped down in front of her, breaking her concentration.

“Oh, thank you,” she said as the server withdrew. She glanced over the plate, making eye contact with Adrien as she reached for her fork. Chloe was talking his ear off, and he was nodding, but at that moment Marinette knew his attention was somewhere else. On some _one_ else. She did her best to maintain a neutral face, but Marinette could feel the corners of her lips quirking up into a small smile.

The meal passed in a similar fashion, the two of them stealing glances across the table while their friends talked around them and Gabriel scrolled through his tablet. Every so often Adrien would say something to Nino and Alya and she would chime in, but other than that they barely spoke. She didn’t mind, not when she knew she’d have all his tonights, tomorrows, and mornings. At least until dessert.

“Oh, Adrikins, my favourite!” Chloe squealed as some kind of chocolate dessert was placed in front of them. And then she draped herself across his shoulder, giggling. Adrien pulled away, but still, it made Marinette’s blood boil. She wasn’t sure really who’s benefit Chloe was doing it for: her, sitting across the table, or Kagami, who hadn’t looked their way once since sitting at the other end of the table. Either way, she’d seen no less than six renditions of this little act in the past thirty minutes.

 _’Easy, girl,’_ Marinette told herself as she scooped up her food. _’They’re friends. Good friends. His best friend. His first friend._ And could she really be mad when as far as the world knew she had no claim on him? Yes, she decided as Chloe wiped away chocolate from the corner of Adrien’s mouth, she could. But she wold vent to Tikki later if she still felt like she had to. She wouldn’t ever want to make Adrien feel like he had to choose between them, and his life was hard enough without the added pressure. That didn’t mean it didn’t make her feel like his lame stalked all over again. 

“So, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I understand you’ve become quite close with one of our city’s little heroes?” 

It took Marinette a moment to realize that Gabriel had not only spoken, he was speaking to her. On the other side of the table, Adrien had frozen in the middle of trying to extricate himself from Chloe. The spoonful of food that had been about to make it’s way to her mouth fell back onto her plate. This could not be happening. _This could not be happening._

But it was. He was staring at her expectantly over the tablet, a single brow raised in question.

“Um, not really,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “No more than anyone else.”

“That’s not what I hear,” Gabriel said. He actually lowered the tablet to the table, turning his undivided attention to Marinette. Never in her life had she felt like more of a bug under a glass slide than right then. It was like he could see right through her and read her secrets on her face. 

“It was an akuma attack, father,” Adrien interrupted with what Marinette recognized as forced nonchalance. 

“That’s right,” Marinette said, seizing the lifeline. “I missed most of it, actually.”

“It was totally adorable, Mr. Agreste,” Alya chimed in. It was all Marinette could do to keep herself from slapping her hands over her friends’ mouth. “Chat Noir totally saved her - ”

“Which was really lucky,” Adrien interjected again. “Paris is lucky to have them.”

“Indeed,” Gabriel said. He picked his tablet up again, seemingly content to leave the conversation there.

And then dinner was over. It felt strange to leave Adrien without saying much of anything, doing much of anything. Just a wave and ‘see ya later’, like he wasn’t twenty minutes away from dropping onto her little balcony and wasting the rest of the night playing video games with her.

“Marinette.”

Marinette’s little group stopped on the sidewalk in front of Adrien’s house. She turned to see Kagami waiting a few feet away, alone, as she usually was. Alone, as she had been since… Part of Marinette’s heart broke for her. At least she’d always had her friends and family to depend on. Kagami’s mother was colder than Gabriel.

“Kagami,” Marinette said, waving her friends on, “What’s up?” Lame. So lame. _I’m sorry I’m the reason your heart is broken. I’m sorry he didn’t choose you. I’m sorry it ended up this way._

Kagami didn’t answer. Instead, she took Marinette by the wrist and pulled her further away from the house, down the tree-lined boulevard, away from her friends. They didn’t go far, and Marinette didn’t question it. In some ways, she expected it. She knew how she’d felt when she’d thought she was losing Adrien. And Kagami never hesitated. In some ways, perhaps she deserved to hear whatever Kagami needed to say.

They finally stopped under a large tree, nearly completely in shadow. It was so dark Marinette could barely see Kagami’s face, even in the dim glow of the streetlight.

“I know your secret.”

Marinette had heard the words so many times now she barely reacted. Everyone thought they knew some secret, and she was keeping so many these days, it hardly mattered. Even so, she’d become such a gifted liar she made Lila look like an amateur. She hated that part of herself, but she loved her city, loved Ladybug more.

“Secret?” she said, tilting her head to the side.

“I know you’re Ladybug.”

Ok. That took the wind out of her. Truly, it felt like someone had sucker-punched her right in the stomach. Of all the things she’d expected Kagami to say, that wasn’t it.

“I don’t…” Marinette swallowed and tried again, even as her heart began to pound. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You’re Ladybug,” Kagami said again. She didn’t seem angry, or victorious, or any of the things Marinette had expected when someone finally discovered her true secret. It was as though she were stating a fact, for no other reason than she couldn’t keep it to herself anymore.

And Marinette was tired. She’d been tired for a while. Adrien finding out had been a greater relief to her than he could know, but the lying. It was a poison, and she was tired of doing it. 

So all she said was “How?” She was rewarded with the slightest quirk of Kagami’s lips into a facsimile of a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“When Adrien…ended things, he admitted it was because of you,” Kagami said. “But then you two never got together, and he still didn’t come back. Then you ended up with the Cat, and Ladybug is his date to the movies. Suddenly I could see it. You’re Ladybug. And he’s…”

Marinette shook her head, too afraid to speak. This was it. This was _it_. Ladybug was done. Chat Noir was done. _She_ was done.

“Kagami, please.” Marinette’s voice was hoarse with fear. Were her hands shaking? Had it always been this cold? “I can… _explain_ …”

But the other girls’ face suddenly softened. There was warmth, and kindness, and..understanding there. 

“You don’t have to explain, Marinette,” Kagami said, laying a hand on her shoulder. “You’re my friend. This didn’t happen because of you. It’s not something you did to me. I hope I’m not causing you more stress, I just…I thought I had figured it out, and I thought you might be a little…lonely.”

 _Lonely_. She had been lonely, for so long. Before Alya and Adrien had come into her life, she’d been suffocated under Chloe’s thumb. And the miraculous had fallen into her lap, and that was lonely in it’s own way. She was never able to protect her friends as Marinette during an akuma attack. She was never able to let Chat Noir all the way in to her life. She loved being Ladybug as much as it isolated her.

“I know about lonliness,” Kagami continued, taking her silence for anxiety, or perhaps anger. “And I know about expectations. I know how overwhelming they can be. And I know me knowing has to be stressful, but… you’re so good, Marinette. You’re so good, and I thought I could help, and I would never tell anyone, of course, and I hope you know you can…you know, you can trust me.”

Marinette didn’t think she’d ever heard Kagami say so much since meeting her, let alone all at once. That same old fear that came with someone knowing her secret identity was there, but it was tempered with trust. Kagami wouldn’t say anything. Ice blue eyes flashed in her minds eye, a reminder of the consequences of her secret becoming public, but they faded quickly. Adrien already knew; any damage had already been done.

She should say something. She knew she should, thank her, or lie some more, or just start laughing hysterically.

“You don’t hate me?” 

Kagami blinked. “Hate…you?”

Not what she’d meant, but what Marinette realized she wanted to know the most. “For Adrien.”

“Adrien made his choice,” Kagami said. Her smile was sad but genuine. “And I get it. I do. We just…weren’t so perfect after all. Not like you two. No, I don’t hate you, Marinette. I admire you.”

“I’m sorry I lied to you,” Marinette said. Words she’d been waiting forever to say, to so many people. The first words she wanted to say when she could.

Kagami shrugged. “You had to. I would have, too, given the opportunity. But it’s late now. Well have to catch up soon; I bet you have stories.” Kagami’s smile was warm as she held out her hand. Marinette took it, shook once, then pulled the girl into a hug. _You can trust me_. She could. She knew she could. And more than that, she wanted to. 

“Thank you, Kagami,” Marinette said as they pulled apart. “For keeping the secret.”

“It’s my honour,” Kagami said. 

Another change, Marinette thought as she began the walk home. Another person who knew. _The best secrets are the ones you never share_. She’d said that to Bunnix once. She’d meant it then, she knew it was true now. But the best lives were the ones that were shared with others. So she was back where she’d always been, torn between keeping her secret and letting down her walls.

“Marinette?”

She paused once more on the corner of the sidewalk as Adrien came jogging towards her.

“I thought you left a while ago?” he said. “I was about to head over when I saw you from the window. I wouldn’t mind the walk if you’re ok with it.”

“Sure,” she said, slipping her hand into his, trusting the night to cover them. “And I did, but I got a little…held up. Try not to freak out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whooty who, this was long, and plot heavy. Sorry! I hope you do like it.
> 
> So. I love Kagami, and I feel like, because she was this close to them, she definitely had enough information to figure it mostly all out. I hope it didn't come across as /too/ forgiving, but I do feel like, if it were me, and my crush ditched me only to turn out to be on half of a super hero duo, one of which trusted me to also be a super cool super hero, I, too, could not even really be mad about it, tbh. I'm so tired, please let me know how you like it xoxoxoxo


	13. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien catches a cold

Ladybug hovered on the rooftop across the street from Adrien’s house. It had been days since they’d last seen each other, in the suit or out. He’d gotten a cold from somewhere a few days after they’d all been over dinner and hadn’t been in class. Of course, half their friends were sick, and Marinette thanked her lucky stars every day she’d woken up without a tell-tale tickle in the back of her throat. 

And of course, Kagami had been invaluable. With Chat Noir down for the count, Marinette had entrusted the dragon miraculous back to her. 

“Just until he’s better,” she’d said. Kagami had accepted, and Marinette had decided it was best to leave the miraculous with her until the time came. Hawkmoth had capitalized on her caution before, using it to steal the miraculous when she’d tried to drop it off to Chloe. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.  
And Kagami had made an excellent partner. She was fast, clever, and seemed to thrive on the challenge, if not as in sync with her. It reminded Ladybug of her and Chat Noir’s early days. She knew the synchronicity would come with practice. Still, a small part of her missed Adrien, but that was to be expected, too.

But that was why she was here, why she was taking the risk. It was stupid and selfish, but…he was worth it. ‘Freaked out’? He hadn’t even blinked when she’d told him about Kagami discovering them. She was smart, he’d said. He wasn’t surprised Kagami had put all the pieces together, and he wasn’t mad Marinette hadn’t come up with any kind of defense. 

She clutched the bag in her left hand a little tighter, careful not to let it tip and swung out her yoyo with the other. In seconds she was swinging across the street, launching herself directly through Adrien’s opened window and sliding across the hardwood floor.

He was lying in bed, that much she could tell. His blond hair was tousled, just peeking out over the pile of blankets. Half the drapes were down, leaving the room dim so he could sleep. Oh. _Oh._ She should come back, she realized. He needed rest more than she needed to see him. It wasn’t like they hadn’t been texting. She should have thought of that before she came rushing over. She turned to leave.

“Mari…nette…?” Ladybug froze, turning back around. 

_Whoa_. He must have been worse than she’d thought to say that. They never called one another by their civilian names in the suit, not ever. 

“Shh,” she whispered, “Go back to sleep.”

“No,” he said, a little stronger this time. He sat up excruciatingly slow, rubbing his eyes. Ladybug huffed in exasperation, but it was more affection than anything.

“Stubborn Kitty,” she muttered as she approached the bed. 

“Is everything ok?” Adrien seemed more awake now as he took in the suit and began to push off his mountain of blankets. “Is there an akuma? I’m on it. Plagg - ”

“No!” Ladybug interrupted. She let her transformation dissolve as if to prove her point. “No, there’s no akuma, and if there were, Ryuko and I would handle it. You have to recover.”

Adrien frowned and opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when his eyes landed on the bag in her hands. “What’s that?”

Marinette felt a blush creep up her cheeks, suddenly shy as she shuffled closer to the bed. She had no reason to be, but…

“It’s…soup,” she mumbled, fishing it out of the bag, “And crackers. And some ginger ale. The soup is a Dupain-Cheng specialty; my dad always makes it for me when I’m sick, and I thought…” She trailed off, biting her lip. Why had she thought he’d want it? He had access to the best chefs in Paris.

“You brought me homemade soup?” Marinette looked up to find Adrien staring at the fogged tupperware in her hand. She’d made it fresh and come right over so that it would be the perfect temperature for when she finally got there. His home wasn’t far, especially for Ladybug, but still.

“It’s lame,” Marinette said, making to stuff it back into the bag. Adrien reached out, gently grabbing her wrist. She almost jumped; even his hand was hot to the touch. 

“It’s not lame,” he said emphatically. “Marinette, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, ever.”

Marinette felt that blush getting stronger as she dropped down onto the end of Adrien’s bed. 

“That can’t be true,” she said automatically, but Adrien’s sad semi-smile echoed her own thoughts: it probably was. She left the food, standing to help him sit up and prop the pillows up behind him. He leaned heavily on her, and Marinette would be lying if she said seeing him like this when she knew what he was capable of didn’t make her a little sad.

“I’m sorry you feel so rough, Adrien,” Marinette murmured. She sat down beside him on the bed and reached for the food, passing it to him.

He shrugged. “I feel a little better than yesterday,” he said. “I think I’m on the upswing finally.” And she had to agree: the few pictures he’d sent had been bad. Not that he could ever look _bad_ , just sick. His eyes had been glazed with a fever, his clothes had been rumpled, his skin pale. The Adrien in front of her had some colour in his cheeks and his eyes were clear.

And finally, as he began to eat, Marinette began what she came here to do, to give him what she knew he’d be missing the most.

“Nino’s working on a new mix for your birthday party,” she said. The spoon froze halfway to Adrien’s mouth, and Marinette smiled as she reached out and gently prodded him back into motion. “It sounds really good. Don’t worry, that’s not his present, he just wanted you to listen to it when you get better, see what you think. I think you’ll like it. Kim set a new swim record at his meet yesterday, and Max beat his high score in Ultimate three.”

For the next twenty minutes, Marinette regaled Adrien with the things he had missed at school, the jokes, the stories, the changes, few as they were. Being cooped up had to have been his worst nightmare, even if he needed the rest. She’d been cataloguing it all, dreaming of his face lighting up the way it was right now.

“Everyone misses you,” Marinette said finally. “It’s not as bright without you there.” Of course, that might be a little bit of personal bias, she thought, but not by much. 

“Thank you,” Adrien said, passing back the now-empty bowl. “I was…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish.

“I know,” she said simply. “I…guess I should let you lie back down.”

“Wait.” He reached for her, taking her hand. “Will you stay? Just for a little bit?”

“Of course I will, Adrien,” Marinette said, squeezing his hand. “But…is it safe?”

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, giving him away. “As safe as it ever is.”

Marinette hesitated for only a moment before kicking off her shoes and jacket, dropping the latter on the floor beside the bed furthest from the door in case she needed to make a hasty retreat. “Scooch over.”

He raised a brow but did as he was told. Marinette slipped in beside him, leaning back against his previously occupied pillows and opening her arms to him. He reminded her much more of Chat Noir then as his eyes lit up and he slid back over, practically purring as he snuggled into her side, his head on her chest. He did actually let out a small moan as she began to run her fingers through his hair, the only part of him she imagined that wasn’t too sensitive to be touched. 

“You’re amazing, Marinette,” he sighed, and she giggled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“You make it easy, Adrien,” she said, letting her own head tilt back as she closed her eyes. “Now get some sleep. I love you.”

“Love you…too…” 

Marinette smiled down at the sleeping boy in her arms, his golden hair and skin illuminated in the setting sun coming through the partially-opened windows. How often had she dreamed of a moment like this? She’d had so many day dreams over the past few months, usually grand gestures or bold statements, but every so often a quiet one had snuck in. Adrien and her playing video games. Adrien complimenting a new hairstyle. Adrien falling asleep on her lap. How often had she dreamed of running her fingers through his hair like she was now?

And Adrien had been the one to push for those dreams in the end. As much as his lack of respect for the rules had frustrated her in the past, it had lead to this future, and every day Bunnix didn’t show up in a panic was a day Marinette breathed a little easier. Maybe, just maybe, they had rearranged their stars after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I might be stuck with some plot in each chapter now, so just to let you know going forward, I don't think I'll have much pure fluff.


End file.
